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Early families directed their efforts/time toward survival, the division of labor, and resource sharing. Families served as units for hunting, gathering, and raising offspring. This era saw the men hunting, and the women gathering and raising the young. -
Early family structures began to formalize with the emergence of farming/agriculture and trade. Similarly to the Prehistoric era, family roles were typically divided along gender and age lines.
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Families in feudal societies operated primarily within agricultural economies. (Lots of times families were on the bottom of the social system, with kings, knights, lords all above them. Peasants: where a lot of families found themselves, had to rely heavily on working as a family and living off the land. Resource management included land stewardship, inheritance, and crafting.
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This era saw men now working in factories women primarily managing domestic tasks.
By the mid-19th century, the “True Woman” was one who could fully manage a household, tend to needs of the husband and child, and create great home environment.
The Industrialization also resulted in the creation of nuclear families. Families were divided to meet the new standard of the industrialized society. As a result of the creation of nuclear families, the number of children started to decrease. -
Ellen Swallows, was popular for numerous reasons as she was an early advocate for the application of scientific principles to household management. She coined the term "home economics". It covered a variety of topics, including nutrition, cooking, child development, financials, housing, and consumer education. The goal is to equip individuals with practical skills and knowledge to effectively manage their resources; time, money, energy, and materials in order to enhance the quality of life.
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In the early 20th century, Home economics programs were established in schools and colleges to teach scientific principles of home management (Largely due to Ellen Swallow research). Family resource management now begins to be taught as an academic subject to prepare teens to start families.
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The rise of consumerism and the expansion of suburban family life. Family resource management focused on budgeting, savings, and food preparation as women increasingly entered the workforce. -
Families had to undergo drastic shifts, with women pushing for equality in the home and the workplace. Family resource management was expanded to include time management and balancing work and home life. the dual career family was created from social changes of that time, such as post-war, welfare downfall, and the second wave of feminism.
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Near the end of the 20th century, the rise of digital technology and the internet brought about new ways for families to manage resources, from budgeting apps to online grocery shopping. Families had to adapt to new challenges and opportunities in managing their resources.
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The start of the 21st century saw the focus on families beginning to place more emphasis on sustainable living practices. The management of family resources shifted to include environmental concerns, with a focus on reducing waste, conserving energy, and embracing green technology.
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Tami James Moore, Asay, S. M. (2021). Family resource management. Sage Publishing. Taylor, B. (2019). The Role of Women in the Industrial Revolution | UMass Lowell. Www.uml.edu; Tsongas Industrial History Center. https://www.uml.edu/tsongas/barilla-taylor/women-industrial-revolution.aspx Heliani Berlato, Andretta, D., Fernandes, T. (2024). The Echoes of Feminism in the Dual‐Career Family. Gender Work and Organization. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.13232